New Normal
by Cyndi
Summary: Take nothing for granted, because what we have now may be gone tomorrow. .o. DANCEVERSE, OptimusxMikaela, post AOE .o.


**WARNING: Contains spoiler material for **_**Transformers: Age of Extinction**_**. If you do not want to be spoiled, please do not read this until you have seen the movie. You've been warned!**

.o

Disclaimer: I _don't _own the Transformers franchise and I'm not making money off this fanfic.

As always, it's set in the Danceverse and the pairing is OptimusxMikaela.

This particular fic is dedicated to an online friend who passed away in December of 2013. I hope this helps make him immortal. I didn't know his real last name, so I made one up for the purpose of this story.

Enjoy the ride, folks!

.o

.o

.o

**New Normal**

.o

.o

.o

_"So live like you mean it,  
love till you feel it,  
it's all that we need in our lives.  
So stand on the edge with me,  
hold back your fear and see.  
Nothing is real till it's gone..."_

-the Goo Goo Dolls, "Before It's Too Late"

.o

.o

.o

Yellow balloons and a matching tablecloth covered the kitchen table. Floral wrapping paper and white ribbons overflowed past the rim of the nearby recycle bin. A closed pink cake box stood out like a sore thumb amidst the birthday party decorations.

Mikaela couldn't help eavesdropping on Optimus' human sized hologram tucking Elita into bed. Her newly four-year-old daughter voiced many protests until Optimus sat on the edge of the twin mattress.

"How about I read my gift to you?" Optimus winked in the darkness. "You know how bedtime books work- I'm incapable of reading the words unless you're in bed."

"But you can read _other_ words!" Elita pouted, crossing her arms across the sky blue Playboy T-shirt swallowing her tiny frame. Ratchet gave it to her as a birthday gift, but didn't quite realize the "bunny" logo wasn't aimed at children. Elita swam in the garment when she put it on and instantly decided she wasn't taking it off again until tomorrow. Mikaela found the whole idea too hysterical for words- she figured letting Elita wear it like a nightgown wouldn't hurt anything.

"Yes, that is true. However..." Optimus flashed a knowing smile. "Bedtime books require specific situational criteria." He glanced at Mikaela and his amused expression softened.

Mikaela held a finger to her lips- if Elita knew she was there, it would give her another excuse to not settle down. She toyed with the ring Optimus made for her and leaned on the doorframe.

Watching him be a _dad_ never ceased to amaze her. The role came so naturally, like he was created for it.

_A warrior from space and the little girl we made together...I'll always be glad I got in the car with Sam. Always_.

Elita grudgingly flopped over on her right side, which faced away from the door. Optimus curled up behind her, holding the book where she could see it. Bob Eggleton's artwork and a rhyming story authored by Kerry Milliron decorated each page.

"All right, Elita. Let's engage the thumb drive."

Elita gripped his outstretched thumb. "Thumb drive, go."

And Optimus began to read. His soothing baritone words caressed Mikaela's ears. He made the story sound incredibly interesting despite its rhyming simplicity.

"'_...A monster's life is never boring, and all the while Godzilla's roaring! But even monsters need their rest... Each picks the bed that he likes best. Good night, Godzilla, King of the Monsters. Pleasant dreams._'"

Like something arcane and undiscovered, Optimus' reading knocked Elita right out. Setting the book aside, he pulled his thumb free of her relaxed fist and brushed his mouth plates against her cheek. "Good night, sweet-Spark."

"Magic voice," Mikaela teased as Optimus exited Elita's bedroom.

"Mm, yes," he pulled her possessively close and rumbled in her ear, "it serves many purposes."

"Ooh," Mikaela rapped her nails on his left windshield, "like finding out why NEST suddenly disbanded?"

"Hmph!" Optimus' fake-pouts were legendary. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her into the large master bedroom. She laughed when he plopped her down on the slightly unkempt blue comforter adorning the king sized bed. He leaned close to her ear once more, "Lennox said NEST is being replaced by a new operation calling itself Cemetery Wind. I was told they are assisting with the Chicago cleanup operation."

"Mmh," Mikaela purred back at him. "How are the Wreckers doing out there?"

"I haven't heard from them in awhile, but the rebuilding is going well." A brief frown crossed his face plates. "What I want to know is who desecrated Megatron's grave."

"Yeah, me, too. Maybe they want to move the bodies to start building the new airbase? Lennox says he saw the construction crew start digging two weeks ago."

"Possibly, but I prefer to relocate them myself. I issued a formal request for transport this morning." He nipped her earlobe, "Now, let's not 'talk shop' for awhile...my mind is elsewhere."

She giggled, "Yeah, in the gutter."

"Through the sewer and out to sea," he added.

Mikaela feigned a scandalized gasp, which resulted in one of his wonderful smiles.

Life within the luxury cabin had achieved a new normal she hadn't experienced since she was Elita's age. Optimus made everything feel brand new, and being around him helped her realize she could be much more than a trophy decorating some macho guy's arm.

Although she didn't mind being Optimus' hood ornament once in awhile.

"I can't believe Elita is four years old." He simulated a wistful sigh and ran his cool fingertip along her collarbones, "Sometimes, Mikaela, I swear it's only been a day since she first gripped my finger."

Mikaela nodded in understanding. She glanced at the triangular Jacuzzi tub she gave birth in. People said mothers forgot the pain of labor instantly upon seeing the baby. While that rang true, she started recalling it again a few days later.

And Optimus, bless him, stayed right by her side the whole time...

_"AAH! OW! OW!"_

_"Push, Mikaela. She's almost out."_

_"Fuck pushing! You push!"_

_"Sorry, I can't put her back."_

_"Shut up! You're not the one shitting a watermel- AAH!"_

_Somehow, Mikaela felt her body stretching more than she imagined possible. The stinging burn dulled only slightly. She strained with all her might, desperate for it to be over._

_"Relax your buttocks." Optimus said as he repositioned his hands. Hearing him say that would've been funnier if he didn't accidentally pinch her clitoris between his ring and pinkie fingers. Usually that felt nice, but it didn't then! The poisonous look Mikaela shot him moved the hand faster than a sharp word. He rubbed her leg, "Sorry."_

_"Do that again and you- mmmgh! -will be sorry!" she snarled mid-push. "God, how much more?"_

_"Her shoulder is right against your pubic bone." Optimus told her. "One more push. You can do it, Mikaela."_

_"Promise?" she panted._

_"I promise." He reassured her. "One more."_

_Mikaela held her breath and put all her strength into her next push. Something inside her shifted downward and wiggled like a wet fish. She felt Optimus guide Elita's head towards her butt and then forward, helping her shoulders emerge. One shoulder slipped free like a bump. As soon as the second shoulder emerged, a large part of herself was dislodging, pulling away, and suddenly- relief! All the pressure, pain and glyphs disappeared in a gush of liquid slightly warmer than the Jacuzzi water. Mikaela sagged backwards against the wall, panting in exhausted reprieve._

_Optimus straightened into a kneeling position with a small, floppy white form lying facedown in his hands. He rubbed Elita's back until she squirmed, coughed and squawked in protest. Almost magically, her color went from white to healthy pink. Optimus' servos whirred as he turned her over, cupping her head in one hand and her bottom in the other. Elita's eyes fluttered open and blinked before gradually focusing on his._

_Time stood frozen. They were gazing at each other like old friends meeting after a long separation._

_Optimus smiled._

_Elita appeared to smile back._

_"Hello, Elita," Optimus whispered, and his voice actually trembled. He cradled Elita on his forearm and stroked her waxy, vernix-smeared cheek. "You'll never believe this, but-" He closed his eyes in a slow blink when she grabbed his fingertip in a tiny fist. His optics misted until they overflowed. He moved his finger up and down, shaking hands with her. "-I'm so glad to finally meet you, too." _

"Time flies, doesn't it?" Mikaela smiled before she promptly feigned a dirty look. "You pinched me."

Optimus tipped his head to the side, laughing. She loved the way his serious face changed like sunlight between storm clouds.

In fact, just that day, she finally caught his laugher on video. It happened right after Elita blew out her birthday candles and proclaimed herself Miss America the Butt-Kicker. Mikaela captured the moment via her phone. Optimus _lost it_ and didn't stop for almost two minutes. He even did the squinty eye thing- a hilariously _human_ expression.

Then his voice called Mikaela fully into the present. "I hope I've been forgiven."

She poked his nose groove. "Why don't you reach down there and find out?"

The challenge darkened Optimus' optics into glowing blue eclipses. Without breaking eye contact, he unbuttoned Mikaela's faded cutoff shorts and slipped his hand further south.

"No underwear?" he rumbled.

"You keep ruining them," she replied coyly.

Optimus waggled his eye ridges. "That wouldn't be a problem if you didn't leak so much lubricant."

"Gee, whose fault is that?" Mikaela pinched the exposed wiring in his neck and watched his devilish face become blissful abandon.

"I- ahh- claim full...responsibility!" he gasped, "Requesting permission to flip your ignition switch."

She grinned, "Fire me up, boss bot."

At that, Optimus' fingertips slid home and pleasure jolted up Mikaela's spine. He leaned slightly to the side and nipped her through her white tank top. Tingling heat rushed towards her face. Time and experimentation taught him exactly how she liked her breasts touched, and he did a better job with them than the human men she'd been with.

Mikaela couldn't stand her clothes anymore. Giving Optimus a 'one sec' signal, she wriggled her shorts off, divested herself of her white tank top and swung her leg over to straddle his waist. All without him moving his hand much. She was talented like that.

"Don't think I didn't notice the looks you were giving me all afternoon," she cooed in his audio. For an added tease, she bit the tip of his ear finial, relishing the tingling static shocks. Like licking a battery, but less stinging.

"It's your shimmer eye shadow." Optimus wiggled his finger, making her abdominal muscles clench. His optics watched her like a predator eyeballing prey. "Your eyes appear to glow."

"Mm, I thought about you when I bought it." Mikaela peered at him through her eyelashes. The blue shimmer eye shadow she dusted on earlier glinted in the bedside lamp.

Suddenly, the world flipped and his strong metal body pressed her against the mattress. Like armor, he covered her in safety. His hand moved aside as her legs automatically wrapped around his waist. She wriggled until his metal parts settled into position where she liked them. Then she reached between his chest plates and pulled the levers attaching them to his body.

"I want to be close tonight," she whispered, caressing one of the exposed neural wires. "So don't be gentle."

Optimus's blue optics glimmered. He moved the sudden obstacles aside and hungrily pulled her against him.

"As you wish," he growled in her ear.

They pressed close to each other like ravenous animals. Optimus' engine revved. Mikaela's heart pounded. Wandering fingertips found their way into unmentionable places. Mouth plates bit soft lips. Hard fingernails pinched pliable wires. Hands, metal and organic, interlocked. Sheets became rumpled. Nothing about it was quiet.

Heat rushed to Mikaela's cheeks, reddening them. The intense love in Optimus' optics held her spellbound. To him, no other woman existed in the universe, and it gave her a sense of fulfillment she couldn't find anywhere else.

"_Mikaela_," he groaned. His _real_ voice.

"I love you, too," she breathed, and slyly kissed his mouth.

Optimus' face plates slowly contorted. Everything about him opened as he plunged into ecstasy, taking her with him. She grabbed his shoulders and wailed his name. He moaned low in her ear and gripped the headboard, which had a dozen scratches for that very reason. Their vastly different bodies quivered, united by the same emotion and sensation.

Mikaela's breathing slowed to equilibrium. She delighted in the warm air Optimus' vents expelled across her skin. After overload, he smelled just like a mix of engine grease and hot oil.

Then a soft beep intruded on their shared afterglow. Optimus squinted when it wouldn't stop and finally lifted himself off Mikaela to answer his communications line. She took smug delight in hearing hints of static enter his speech.

"This is Optimus Prime."

"H-Hello, sir." The smooth tenor voice on the other line had a Boston accent. "This is Private Bernstein of Cemetery Wind. I used to work with NEST..."

"Ah. Yes. So the switch is complete. Is there a problem?"

"No sir! I was told to inform you that we have a transport ready to take you to Diego Garcia. I'm sending you the GPS coordinates of the airbase we're using."

"Mmhmm. I'm receiving them. Green Valley, Arizona is a long way from my location." Optimus glanced at Mikaela. "Is time an issue?"

"Not at all, sir. I can mobilize everyone when you arrive."

"Then I will be there within the next twenty four hours."

"Okay then. Take care, sir. Goodbye."

"You, too, soldier. Signing off." Optimus closed his communications line and played with a strand of Mikaela's hair. "That was faster than I expected."

"No kidding. But you know Elita's gonna be pissed when she wakes up and you're not home."

His optics softened when he regarded her. "I would wait until morning, but I prefer to get this done sooner rather than later. The trip shouldn't take longer than one week."

"Gonna hold you to that." Mikaela tugged her hair free of his playful fingertips and grasped his hand. "Call me when you get there?"

Optimus gave a mock salute. "Doing so has become part of my standard operating protocols when I'm away."

She grinned, pushing her foot against his warm hip. "Awesome. So, when are you going to tell Mearing to take the stick out of her ass?"

"Just as soon as I find oil strong enough to dislodge it." Optimus winked. "I should roll out. As always, Ultra Magnus is guarding the area."

Mikaela sat up to kiss his audio cover. "Drive safe."

He squeezed her hand just before his hologram vanished. She threw on her favorite black nightgown and sprinted onto the balcony to watch the shiny red and blue Peterbilt drive itself around the front of the house. At the end of the narrow road, Optimus tooted his air horn twice. Then he pulled onto the street and vanished over the hill.

.o

Elita didn't take Optimus' being away well. She rarely did. Mikaela hated seeing her daughter cry as though the world just ended around her.

"What if he doesn't come back?" Elita sobbed into Mikaela's shoulder.

"He always comes back," Mikaela soothed her. "He'll be right here again next Sunday."

"Seven days is forever!"

Mikaela rubbed Elita's back and kissed her tear-soaked cheek. "It'll go by quick, sweetie. I'll tell you what...he's going to call me when he gets to Arizona. If you're asleep, I'm going to have him call again when you're awake. That way we can both talk to him. How's that?"

Elita wiped her eyes and pushed her hands through her tangled honey-brown hair. Judging by the dark undertones, it would darken to match Mikaela's as she aged. After a moment of hanging between more tears and relenting, she offered the faintest nod.

"How come we can't tell nobody he's a robot?"

The question made Mikaela giggle. She helped Elita take off the oversized T-shirt and let her pick out her clothes for the day. Elita immediately pulled down her lacy pink angel wing sundress. Such a girly girl until she got outside in the dirt. She reminded Mikaela of herself as a kid.

"Because..." Mikaela ushered the bed-headed kid into the hall bathroom and began brushing her hair. "...he's like Superman. Superman pretends he's Clark Kent so people won't be afraid of him."

"Superman's a good guy! Why are people scared of him?"

"People are afraid of what they don't understand," Mikaela said. She worked the brush carefully through Elita's locks, taking care not to pull.

"They're stupid-heads!" Elita burbled. "Mommy, is my hair longer yet?"

"Let's see." Mikaela measured by brushing a few strands and holding them in place between Elita's shoulder blades. "It's down to here."

Elita opened the drawer and picked out two gold hair bands. "Okay, it's not longer yet." She pouted her bottom lip out, seemingly disappointed by that realization. "I want ponytails, please."

_Stop it, kiddo. The cute is murdering me!_

Mikaela happily parted Elita's hair, brushed it again and gently arranged it into the two ponytails she so politely requested. "There, how's that?"

Naturally, Elita struck a pose like a little model. "Perfect! Can I go outside?"

"Not until you eat breakfast and brush your teeth."

"But I wanna play!"

"Honey, you need your breakfast. You get really cranky when you don't eat."

"But I'm not-" Elita's stomach growled, defying her. Her shoulders rose and fell in defeat. She followed Mikaela downstairs and nibbled the Rice Krispies set in front of her.

Then she decided she didn't want to brush her teeth. Mikaela let the temper tantrum blow itself out. The second attempt succeeded, and within ten minutes Elita- fresh breath and all -was outdoors in the sun.

Mikaela spent the day with her phone in hand. She watched Elita climb a tree, chase butterflies and dig a mud fort in the uneven dirt trenches near the property line.

Those trenches were Optimus' fault in the most hilarious way.

Mikaela remembered how, last year, she woke to what she believed was an earthquake. She'd headed downstairs to ask Optimus if he felt the tremor. Instead, she discovered he _caused_ it.

Hidden behind the mirrored cabin windows, Mikaela watched Optimus cutting loose with an _awesome_ reproduction of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" dance routine. Since he often synced his playlists with her iPod, she hurriedly popped her earbuds in and watched the dance show with proper music.

This was Optimus when he thought nobody could see him. A part of himself he shared with no one. And man, he pulled off an awesome spin-moonwalk-toe balance combo.

Mikaela never told him she witnessed the whole thing. Not even the tumble he took five minutes later while trying the "Smooth Criminal" anti-gravity lean. Although, admittedly, he did look pretty cool spinning himself into vehicle mode.

Elita's laughter brought Mikaela back to the present. "Mommy, I found a worm!"

By five o'clock, Elita looked more like Swamp Thing than a four year old girl. Counting her clean patches was far easier than calculating the dirty ones.

After washing up and eating dinner, Elita was right back outside "fixing" Ultra Magnus with her plastic hammer. All four tires received "repairs" before the growing twilight prompted Mikaela to bring her back inside for the night.

At seven o'clock, she made sure Elita took a bath. Shortly after eight, she coaxed her into bed. It took four different books to tire her out.

_She owns me,_ Mikaela mused at herself. She tip-toed from the bedroom, pulling the door shut to a crack. The hall light- also the night light- stayed on as a "safeguard" against Decepticons.

Monsters didn't really scare Elita, but mention Decepticons and she cried nearly every time. Optimus always made it a point not to discuss them in Elita's hearing range.

Mikaela took a quick shower, her ear on alert for the phone. It vibrated seconds after she pulled on her nightgown. She checked the caller ID before answering.

"Hey."

"Hello from Arizona," Optimus' smoky deep voice brought order back to a chaotic world. "I have arrived safely."

"That's great to hear." Mikaela giddily toweled her hair. "I told Elita I'd make you promise to call back in the morning if you called after she was in bed."

"I definitely will. Was she upset?"

"She had about five cows. I stopped her before the sixth came out."

"Heh, heh! Only five? Wasn't it ten last time?"

"Ohhh yeah."

"How unfortunate. I'll be sure to make it up to her. Ah, one moment, the cavalry is pulling up." Optimus put her on hold, but as usual his signal didn't click off. He had no problem letting her listen in on the happenings away from home. "Good evening, when will the plane be arriving?"

A long silence followed.

"Optimus? Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. Hold on, I'm going to transform." Clanks signaled his transformation from truck to robot.

Less than a second later, Mikaela heard popping noises. Like bottle rockets shooting into the air. Loud, tooth-jarring explosions followed each pop.

"Whoa! Stand down! What are you doing?" Optimus called out, "I am your ally! Cease fire!"

"Optimus! What the-" Mikaela jumped off the bed, almost dropping the phone. "What's happening?"

"I don't know!" Optimus had to shout over the chaos. "I- captain! What is the meaning of this?"

Adrenalin entered Mikaela's bloodstream. Her heart hammered and the blood inside her body started throbbing through her skull. Unpleasant tingling wormed into her extremities. She gripped the phone until she felt all five pulses flutter in her fingertips.

"Get out of there!" A swipe of her dry tongue hardly moistened her lips. Calming herself, she asked, "Can you outrun them?"

"Possibly. They are in pursuit as I speak. I may have to fire back...by the Allspark, I don't want to shoot them. I don't want to take human lives."

More pops, crashes and the clang of metal feet hitting runway tar. Mikaela recognized the hiss-whisper of his hydraulics in motion. Then came an awful, rumbling crash.

"_Augh!_" Optimus' bellow of pain was almost more than Mikaela could bear. He transformed with difficulty, the sequence littered by whirrs and squeaks that didn't belong.

"I'm right here," Mikaela told him. Her knuckles were pearly white against the phone. How did she keep her grip when her hands shook so hard? "Are you okay?"

"My left leg is damaged...I can't bear any weight. I need to scan a new- there!" Static briefly clouded the line. "I've taken on a new, temporary vehicle mode. I- humans, stand down! If I wronged you, tell me how to- _no!_"

Thumps and thunderous explosions overtook his voice. When the chaos cleared, she heard his high-pitched shouts of anguish and misery.

"Stop! Why are you doing this? Why? Tell me! _Why? __**Why?**_"

"Drive! Dammit, Optimus, drive!" Mikaela shut herself in the bathroom where Elita wouldn't hear her. She forgot the towel on her bed. Wet hair clung to her cheeks and shoulders. "Oh, God, please, be okay."

"I am." Optimus' engine emitted the rattle normally reserved for snowy mornings. "Heading...east..." He groaned and the cacophony gradually faded. Something, probably a part of him, screeched along the road. "They shot me...mortar shells...grenades..."

"Why?"

"My kind...Cybertronians...they blame us for Chicago. Cemetery Wind is replacing NEST to catch us off-guard. To...eliminate us. They set this trap to kill m- unh!"

"How bad are you hurt?"

"Losing energon...slowly." His gears shifted and she heard him speeding up. "Listen to me, Mikaela. No one from NEST knew the cabin's location. This new organization can't find you. Their ignorance will protect you. You are safe...you and Elita. I am warning all the Autobots still on Earth about Cemetery Wind. I told them to save themselves...to trust no one other than...argh..."

Tears brimmed in Mikaela's eyes. Her throat burned so hotly she barely pushed her voice past the flames. "Optimus..."

"You and Elita are the only humans I can trust. No one else. I don't know what to do, Mikaela. I don't know what to _do!_"

The heartbreaking tremor in Optimus' normally calm, collected voice expressed everything his words didn't. He was freaking out.

Optimus Prime never got _scared_.

"Keep driving." Mikaela kept herself calm. Like he so often did for her. "Is Mearing behind this?"

"No...definitely not. I don't know who placed the order."

"I hope I'm not the one who finds out. I'll rip their lungs out with a crowbar."

He chuckled, faintly, more of a cough than laughter. His voice crackled. "I doubt that will solve- oh. My escape route is being cut off. Four jeeps across the road."

"Shit! Ram them!"

"They are humans."

"They want you dead! It's you or them! Do it, Optimus!"

"Please forgive me..."

"I forgive you. Go!"

_BAM!_

Metal met metal in a deafening crash. Shattered glass pinged.

Like a disturbed hive of killer bees, the assault intensified. Mikaela listened to shouts, weapons fire and explosions. Some in the background, some too close for comfort. She alternated between leaning over the toilet and pressing her forehead against the cold tile wall, but never once considered hanging up.

Amidst the ongoing battle noises, she heard the distinct whine of crying. Optimus, weeping for the lives he snuffed out to save himself.

"We're going to get through this," Mikaela whispered, "I'm not hanging up. I'm still here."

No answer, though engine rumbling showed he was still on the line.

Finally, he said, "Please...no more...this is not who I am! I'm sorry for the casualties in Chicago. Listen to me!" His voice grew desperate without losing its diplomacy. "You humans are warriors, same as I am. Please, hear me and understand. I never wanted this. I never meant your planet any harm. I tried to minimize the casualties. I fought to save your world! To save you! I am-"

A sudden boom sent his tires screeching. Then came clanging usually reserved for a freeway pileup.

"Stay with me," Mikaela gasped, letting her forehead thump against the tile wall. "Talk to me, are you okay?"

"T-cog...damaged...can't transform...on my side..."

Another blast must have righted him because his tires shrieked again in a spectacular peel out.

"I may not...survive this...Mikaela. I am outnumbered..."

"Don't say that!"

"...please tell Elita...that I love her...and I'm sorry that I won't be home..."

Mikaela sank to sit on the floor. "You'll tell her yourself! Hear me? Don't you dare-"

Another deafening explosion rocked his line. Static burst across his signal.

"...you are everything to me, Mikaela...your soul and my Spark are one."

"Please..." The tears found freedom, and once they started Mikaela couldn't stop them. She winced when the next blast sent Optimus screaming in agony- and she kept talking. Because he needed her. "I'm with you. Right now. I'm still with you."

More metal scraped the ground as he drove. She could hear his engine losing power.

"Remember our first dance? My prom night?"

"Always," he finally answered, his voice faint. "That...was...a dance to remember..."

"You were _great_."

"_We_ were great."

"We _are_ great."

New explosions. Stronger. Closer.

Optimus emitted a low moan. Somehow, through the depths of his pain, he said, "You must be strong, Mikaela. Be _strong_."

"Invincible," Mikaela replied stiffly, refusing to sob despite the tears pouring down her face. She was falling through an invisible pit with neither a top nor a bottom.

"I am surrounded. This is it. I love you." He seemed to be preparing her. She braced herself when he roared, "_GRAAAAHH_-"

An awful crash-bang-crunch...then the line went silent. Mikaela hit the bottom of the abyss. She strained her ears for anything- the hiss of intakes, a groan, a servomechanism whirring.

Something clicked. Rapid, repeated buzzes indicated a complete signal disconnect. The sound was a wrecking ball to her stomach.

Mikaela dialed his communications line number. It didn't ring. The black hole silence tore her heart apart. She was a husk, empty.

Her knees had already failed her. Now her spine became jelly, and she curled up on the bathroom floor. Every organ within her body pulled towards her chest. Numbness injected ice through her veins. She wanted to throw up, scream and shatter the mirror above the counter.

She clutched the phone instead, waiting for it to ring. For Optimus to call back.

Silence.

Banging noises startled her out of the funk. Ultra Magnus' shiny blue optics lit the side door of the bathroom. Mikaela rushed outside towards them, nearly clothes-lining herself over the balcony railing. She had to look ghastly with bloodshot eyes and tousled wet hair.

"Can you pick up Optimus' signal?"

"I was coming to ask the same of you and your cellular phone."

Mikaela's heart throbbed in her throat. She wiped her nose and doubled forward, grabbing her bare knees. "Keep trying his commline. My cell phone isn't strong enough if his signal's faint. I need to know if he's okay."

The twelve-inch silver billet antennae on either side of Ultra Magnus' head grew three feet taller and deployed small dishes that swiveled every which way. As the Autobot equivalent to Soundwave, he possessed acute hearing and the ability to pick up practically any communications signal from anywhere. He walked towards the road where less trees blocked the eastern horizon. Mikaela bit her thumbnail, watching. All her hope hung on those antennae wiggling around like cat ears.

And they came crashing down the instant Ultra Magnus hung his head. Harsh reality clamored through her skull until the truth penetrated her brain.

Optimus was gone.

"Mikaela," Ultra Magnus' human sized hologram materialized beside her. She hadn't heard his real body transform back into a white 2006 Kenworth T800. "This is a bad time to be by yourself."

Damn, he looked a lot like Optimus- except his face had a solid, rectangular nose, his mouth plates resembled two overlapping pieces of metal trim and his tires sported silver spiraling spinners that twirled whenever he willed them to.

Mikaela gripped the phone in her hand like a lifeline. Her thumb accidentally activated the video she took of Optimus laughing on Elita's birthday. She hurriedly shut it off. Seeing his face hurt.

"Perhaps his signal was cut off," Ultra Magnus, bless him, tried to calm her down. "Our communications lines go down when our emitters are damaged. Perhaps..."

"Don't you have backup systems for that?"

His face fell.

Mikaela sighed, longing for everything to be a nightmare.

Ultra Magnus took the phone out of her hands and turned it over on his palm. He had a knack for charging it by simply holding it, which he kindly did right then. "I say we wait and see if he gets his transmitter back online. I'm going to keep listening."

"I should watch my phone. He might text me."

"See? Don't lose hope, Mikaela."

"But his broadcast-"

"I'm staying here. Optimus asked me to protect you in his place, and I'm not abandoning my post. Your location was never given to the humans. On the off-chance they do find this cabin, they will be seeking me, not you. I can lead them away."

Mikaela gave his hand a grateful squeeze. She checked the time on her phone. Only nine o'clock. The events of the past hour left her completely drained.

"I need to lay down. Sorry if I suck as a host tonight."

"Hey, I understand. I'll bug out and let you sleep. Call me up if you need anything. Okay?"

She set her phone on the nightstand. "Sure. Thanks, Ultra Magnus."

He smiled with sadness in his clear, blue optics, and his hologram deconstructed into pixels before disappearing, leaving her alone in the huge bedroom.

Mikaela did her usual night-time walkthrough of the house, making sure all doors and windows were locked. Assured the cabin was secure, she returned upstairs, used the bathroom and climbed into bed.

But sleep wouldn't find her. Each time she sank towards unconsciousness, chilling dread pulled her back to alertness.

_I'm going to have to tell Elita. I can't lie to her. How do I tell a four year old daddy's girl that her daddy may not come home?_

.o

Restless slumber found Mikaela somewhere around four o'clock. She woke at every little creak and rustle, and frantically checked her phone for missed calls or texts. The number zero mocked her.

When five o'clock hit, she gave up on sleep entirely. Exhaustion pressed a weight against her skull and hung ten ton chains off her limbs. Her reflection showed bags and ugly circles under her eyes. Concealer infused with caffeine covered the gross circles and helped shrink the bags. Applying white kohl eyeliner to the water line of both eyes gave them a slightly more open appearance. She used that trick often in school to hide the nights she stayed up all hours partying. Some foundation, mascara and blush returned her haggard appearance to something resembling a sane human being.

Yawning, Mikaela stepped into her black short-shorts, threw on a long sleeved army style camouflage crop top and crackled a hairbrush through her brown hair. Every action was a countdown to waking up Elita with the awful news.

Mikaela didn't call herself a coffee drinker, however she brewed herself a cup, added the cream and sugar that did nothing for its taste and choked down the hot bitterness. Rather than make her more alert, it caused nervous jitters. She spent the next hour trembling and running to pee every ten minutes. Caffeine worked well on her face, not in her bloodstream. There was a _reason_ she quit guzzling sodas after high school.

Coffee? Really? What a stupid idea.

Morning's first light revealed fog so dense the closest trees were brownish-green blurs in a sea of pale gray. Normal morning noises- the freeway rumble magnified by mountainsides, the birds that chattered on the cabin's eves and the casual roar of airplanes sounded distant and dream-like.

Opening the door, Mikaela exhaled and stepped outside. Her breath stirred the misty coolness brushing her skin. She extended her hands in a vain attempt to make everything look as clear as it did yesterday.

The fog hung around until sunlight broke through. Everything went from blurry colors to ghostly long shadows. Everyday sounds slowly regained their proper normalcy. Pale azure sky appeared overhead, dusted faintly by evaporating clouds.

Mikaela tip-toed back inside and shut the door. The chilling dread reclaimed its home in her stomach within seconds of turning the lock. Oppressive quiet started a duel between her heartbeat and the ticking wall clock above the stainless steel refrigerator on her right. She checked the time. Seven o'clock.

The refrigerator's cooling fans clicked on and Mikaela almost jumped out of her skin.

_Guess I can't put this off_...

Climbing the stairs felt like walking towards her own execution. She pushed Elita's door open enough to peek in. Elita was bent over a sheet of white construction paper. Crayons peppered the floor around her as she drew furiously. Her eyelids fluttered without blinking. Mikaela recognized the behavior and remained silent. Elita couldn't see or hear her during an attack.

Head pictures- that's what Elita called them- no longer frightened her. She said everything 'went away' and all she could see were images and glyphs flying at her. While she couldn't fully comprehend what happened to her, she knew the seizures weren't dangerous. If she didn't have paper immediately available, she remembered what popped into her brain and replicated it later.

Elita dropped her red crayon and rubbed her eyes. On the paper, Mikaela saw an octopus-like creature bearing a fanged face reminiscent of kabuki masks.

Pushing the sheet aside, Elita dutifully picked up the crayons she scattered and placed them in the large box. The box went home inside its clear plastic drawer. She put the drawing and the book she stuck beneath the paper on her desk in the corner. Tidy to a fault.

"El? Can I come in?" Mikaela knocked gently on the doorframe.

"Uh-huh. Is daddy gonna call soon?" Elita hopped onto her bed, folded her legs and grinned toothily. Her blue eyes held such joy.

And Mikaela was about to kill it.

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about. Scoot over, sweetie." Mikaela barely maintained a schooled expression. She had to stay calm for her daughter's sake.

Elita's questioning look tore at her self-control.

Mikaela wrapped an arm around her tiny shoulders. "Daddy called me last night. Something very bad happened while we were on the phone and I lost his signal."

"Why?"

"Because..." Mikaela ran her fingers through Elita's messy hair. "The people who were supposed to be his friends attacked him. They hurt him really bad, El. He told me to tell you he loves you very much and that he's sorry he isn't here."

Elita's eyes were suddenly huge. In a whisper, she asked, "Did daddy _die?_"

Mikaela couldn't take it anymore. _Yes, I think he's dead_. "I...I-I don't know. Maybe."

She turned her head, clapping a hand over her eyes. Beside her, Elita released a shrill scream.

"No! Daddy? Daddy! No, no, no, no! _No!_" she bawled, grabbing Mikaela's wrists and violently shaking them. Tears and snot dribbled down her face. "He's a superhero! He's a _superhero_, mommy! A superhero!"

For the first time, Mikaela truly understood why Optimus had to hold everything in. As much as she wanted to scream and wail herself, she battered her own reaction behind iron bars while she held her beloved daughter close.

"Superhero," Elita whimpered, "daddy's a superhero."

"I'm sorry," Mikaela kissed the top of Elita's forehead. The Prime glyph there- her birthmark- wasn't as covered by her hairline as Mikaela first believed it would be. The pinkish-red port-wine stain remained fully visible, albeit nestled comfortably amidst her freckles. Only a truly discerning eye saw anything other than an oddly shaped blemish.

"Listen," she went on, "How about I stay home from work today? I'll call Joe and tell him I can't come in."

Because she knew Elita feared losing her, too.

Elita nodded once, still hiccupping with sobs. Mikaela gave her tissues, kept hugging her and made the call.

Joe, a graying African American who must have played high school basketball some forty years ago, was the most understanding boss she ever worked for. Well, other than Donny Winter, the man who employed her at K-mart during her pregnancy with Elita.

"Hello, Joe's Garage," Joe's bass radio voice crooned over the phone.

"Hi, Joe, it's Mikaela."

"Ah, Mikaela! You all right? You sound tired."

"Actually, my husband went missing last night while making a delivery."

"Oh, no!"

"Yeah. I need to stay by the phone in case I get any calls from him or the police. My daughter is frantic and I can't leave her like this."

"That's fine, darlin'. You take care of your family right now. Rick's here, he'll cover for you. Take tomorrow off, too, if you need it."

"Thanks a lot. I might have to. I'll call you again tomorrow if I'm not coming, how's that?"

"Slick as a whistle. Good luck, Mikaela. I hope he turns up. Call me if you need anythin'."

A small ache formed in Mikaela's throat. "Thank you. Bye."

"Buh-bye."

By the time Mikaela hung up, Elita had already dressed herself in her blue tank top, yellow Sesame Street capris and the toy tool belt Mikaela gave her yesterday. She tugged her clear plastic backpack out of the wooden shipping crate in the closet and started cramming items in. Her toy makeup box, her doctor kit, the purple plastic cell phone that looked just like Mikaela's, her crayons, a small drugstore coloring book, and one half of a realistic looking walkie-talkie set. She gave the other handset to Mikaela.

"I'm gonna stay outside today, mommy. In case daddy's not dead and comes home."

From bawling to hopeful- how did kids do it?

Another piece of Mikaela's heart shattered "Okay, but let's get you some breakfast and get your hair and teeth brushed, first."

Elita wanted oatmeal that morning. She practically inhaled it and, in her impatience, brushed her teeth without a fuss while having her hair combed. Then she was outside on the wooden front deck, contentedly playing with the toys she carried with her.

Optimus could tap in to her walkie-talkie from a few miles away. He often did so whenever he returned home during the day. Mikaela loved hearing their exchange- Optimus taught her how "officials" replied.

_"This is ten-twenty-two, requesting clearance for return. Over."_

_"This is home base. Clearance granted. Over!"_

He always did that when he was within thirty minutes of arrival. Then Mikaela got to watch his huge, silver grill grow as he pulled right up to the deck where Elita eagerly waited to pounce on him.

Watching Elita sit outside almost gutted Mikaela on the spot. And just like Elita checked the walkie-talkie every few minutes, Mikaela religiously examined her phone for calls or texts.

Morning wore into afternoon. Afternoon became evening. Mikaela and Elita ate lunch and dinner on the deck.

At nightfall, Mikaela found Elita staring intently at the sky. Being so far away from city lights meant seeing multitudes of stars peppering the blackness like chalk dust.

"I'm wishing on all the stars," said Elita. "What's the star that's really close to the sun?"

"The Alpha Centauri system is closest, but it's under the horizon. You have to live further south to see it."

Technically, Proxima Centauri, a tiny red dwarf star that resided four point twenty-four light years away, was closest to the sun. One couldn't see it without a telescope. The irony of that wasn't lost on Mikaela.

Elita pursed her lips in thought. "Okay. I'm wishing on that one, 'cuz it's close. Do wishes work on stars you can't see?"

_Cute kid_. Mikaela smiled faintly at her. "Nobody tried it before. Why don't you be the first and find out?"

"Okay." Elita squeezed her eyes shut and faced roughly south. "I'm wishing really hard!"

Mikaela did the same. She waited until Elita finished making her wish. "C'mon, it's getting chilly out here. Let's head in. We'll come back outside tomorrow, okay?"

With a yawn, Elita nodded and started packing everything away. Mikaela helped her take a bath, gave her a snack and tucked her into bed. That night, she only needed a read-through of one book to fall asleep.

Mikaela stayed up late texting Ratchet and Bumblebee. Both received Optimus' warning signal and both said it stopped broadcasting at exactly the same time Mikaela lost contact with him. Ratchet's last text for the night stated Optimus' last-known GPS coordinates placed him heading due east towards Texas.

In the morning, Mikaela let Joe know she wasn't coming. She couldn't face the world yet. Elita spent that entire day outside. The next day, Mikaela _had_ to go to work- she left an upset Elita with Ultra Magnus and promised she would come home.

One week passed.

Elita stopped sitting forlornly on the porch.

Then a month.

Life established a new normal. Elita, in her youth, began bouncing back to her old self. Mikaela struggled through her daily routines until she regained something resembling emotional equilibrium.

July fourth was a blur.

Halloween came too fast.

Thanksgiving almost didn't exist.

Mikaela cried in her bathroom after 'making sure Santa Claus came and went' on Christmas eve. Optimus loved Christmas morning- not seeing him at the foot of the stairs looking as excited about it as Elita was nearly unbearable. Not sitting with him on the couch, safe and warm in his arms while watching Elita rip her presents open, hurt even worse.

A week later, Mikaela went to bed before midnight. Come morning, she faked happiness while watching the Rose Parade on TV with Elita.

Somewhere during the interim, Mikaela bought a used Chevy Silverado. She needed some way to get to and from work during the times Ultra Magnus was on perimeter patrol. Plus, she knew showing up with a new Kenworth truck and no husband would immediately look a little strange.

Elita's first day of kindergarten hit Mikaela harder than she expected. Optimus scoped out the school years before Elita needed it. He even emailed Mikaela links to the school's website. Maplewood Elementary School with its moose mascot and highly trained teachers. Its only downside? The four mile drive around winding roads.

Also, the school hired a new principal last month, but the website hadn't updated the info. Mikaela met him after Elita joined her peers in line.

At over six feet tall, the gangly Italian man with shaggy raven hair and black rectangular glasses frames surrounding his dark brown eyes hardly looked old enough to be out of high school, let alone a principal. He straightened the bright pink tie that flattered his gray suit and flashed Mikaela an infectious smile.

"Good morning!" His voice was a smooth tenor. "I'm Muziano Mantovani, but the kids usually call me Mr. Moosey."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Mikaela politely shook his hand, smiling. Like the rest of him, his fingers were long and thin. "I'm Mikaela Banes-Prime. My daughter is Elita- she's the noisy one wearing white shorts. Did you get her medical info?"

"Nice to meet you, t- oh! The absence seizures? Mmhmm. I passed it on to Ms. Yamaguchi."

"Mrs. Yamaguchi!" Elita waved her hand in the air, "How come you have such a weird name and talk funny?"

Muziano covered his laughter behind one hand. Mikaela wanted to sink between the cracks in asphalt.

Mrs. Yamaguchi, a beautiful middle-aged Asian woman, regarded the little girl with saintly patience.

"I'm from Japan," she said. While her voice had a definite Japanese accent, it wasn't heavy.

Elita lit up. "Do you know Godzilla?"

The teacher chuckled. "I own every single movie."

"Okay, you're cool."

"Why, thank you!"

Mikaela let out the breath she didn't know she held. She faced Muziano again, sighing in relief. "I see she's in good hands."

"Most moms are nervous dropping their kiddos off the first time." Muziano's easy smile returned. "Don't worry, you'll get a phone call if there is an issue."

"Thank you so much." Mikaela checked her watch. "I need to get to work. I check my voicemail a lot, so don't be afraid to leave a message if I don't answer. I'll pick it up within half an hour at the most."

Nodding, Muziano adjusted his shirt collar. "Gotcha. Drive safe."

Mikaela waved goodbye, blew Elita a kiss and climbed into her pickup truck. She turned her phone on to watch the video of Optimus laughing. For the first time since his absence, she smiled at it.

.o

Life wore itself into a routine. School, work, school, home, chores, taking Elita to birthday parties and hearing all about what she learned. Mikaela delighted in watching her daughter grow, knowing Optimus would be proud.

Kindergarten became first grade almost too fast. Elita grew taller than her peers before her second year of school. When she met her third grade teacher, a witty older gentleman named Mr. Hartnell who was never seen without his blue lunch box, her peers had caught up and she no longer stood out.

Ultra Magnus occasionally had to pick Elita up from school. His human hologram startled the dickens out of Mikaela the first time she saw it. A stocky, gray-haired man sporting a leathery sun-worn face, a ten gallon white cowboy hat and clothing suited for rodeos. Occasionally, he traded the cowboy hat for a trucker's cap and swapped between jeans and overalls. Like Optimus he chose a human alias- Uriens Magnus. Ripped right out of _The Mists of Avalon_.

Ultra Magnus always brought Elita right to Joe's on the days Mikaela couldn't get off work early enough. Elita chatted "Uncle Magnus'" audios off the whole time.

Then came the mid-April phone call...

"Mrs. Banes-Prime?" Muziano's voice seemed slightly higher on the phone, "I'm afraid Elita ran into a little trouble on the playground."

"Oh, boy," Mikaela set down the socket wrench and scooted out from under the gray Honda she'd been working on. "What happened?"

"She, um, punched a boy in the face."

_Crap_.

"God, is he okay?"

"Steven is shaken, but nothing's broken. I'm afraid you'll have to come pick Elita up. Fighting is an automatic one day suspension here. Now, she won't tell me the reason she got in this fight in the first place. I'm hoping you can get the story out of her so we can prevent a repeat."

"Right, okay," said Mikaela, sighing. Lately, Elita hadn't quite been herself- she was irritable and wouldn't tell anybody why. "I'll be there in forty-five minutes. Sorry for the mess."

"Kids will be kids." Muziano's pen clicked in the background. "She's in my office, trying to kill me with eye lasers."

"Ha! Yep, she's pissed. I'll make her talk when I get there. Bye." Mikaela hung up before he could say more. She let Joe know why she needed to bail and washed the engine grease off her palms. By the time she reached the school, her hands hurt from gripping her pickup truck's steering wheel.

A glance at the rear view mirror made Mikaela groan. No makeup, a messy ponytail, dirt on her gray T-shirt, holes in her jeans and one cheek-smear of grease she missed.

_Grease monkey_.

She spat on a tissue and wiped her cheek off the best she could.

Once Mikaela declared herself decent to be seen in public, she exited the truck. The school office staff politely greeted her. She found Elita sitting angrily in the overstuffed black chair next to Muziano's desk. Such a cute eight-year-old dressed in a blood-splattered white hello kitty shirt, a pleated red skirt and black leggings with white tennis shoes- and all four feet two inches of her vibrated with barely contained rage. Shoulder-length brown hair clung to her tearstained cheeks.

In her hands, the crumpled paper she seemed intent on crushing into nothingness. She handed it to Mikaela without a word and without looking up.

Mikaela glanced at Muziano, who nodded his head. She almost dropped the sheet when she unfolded it.

_Remember Chicago; Report Activity; 855-363-8392_

On the back, a portrait of Optimus wearing his battle mask and a statement: _Transformers are dangerous_.

"Steven was passing 'em out," huffed Elita. "His dad buys material for a stupid company that knows what Transformers made out of. He said anybody who likes those robots is a bad person. He's stupid! He deserved to get punched!" She waved her fists in the air, her piercing blue eyes like daggers despite being puffy from crying. "Don't make me say sorry. I'm _not_ sorry!"

"Elita, listen to me," Muziano joined Mikaela in front of the chair. A vein in his temple pulsed, but his voice stayed perfectly calm. "I've got a secret. I was _there_ in Chicago when the aliens- the Transformers- started fighting. I broke my foot trying to escape the tower that fell, and _he_-" he indicated the poster, "-this red and blue guy, scooped me up and carried me to a nearby ambulance. He didn't leave until he knew I was taken care of."

"Then you _know_ why Steven deserved it!"

"Elita, rules are rules. Hitting isn't allowed here. This is a school that believes words are better than fists."

"Well, can I tell Steven he's a cum dumpster?"

"Elita!" Mikaela balked. _She_ certainly didn't teach her that one.

Beside her, Muziano bit his lip hard to repress his laughter. Honestly, Elita's snotty tone might have been funny in any other situation.

"Okay, Elita," Muziano's thick eyebrows knit and his tone grew firm, "I'm afraid you're suspended tomorrow and benched for one recess when you get back. Language like that doesn't befit a young lady like you."

"Hmph! Mr. Moosey, if I can't punch Steven or call him a...you know...what _can_ I do?"

"Maybe some diplomacy?" Amused, but hiding it well, Muziano straightened to regard Mikaela, "Mr. Hartnell has tomorrow's assignments ready for you to pick up. Wouldn't want Elita falling behind now, would we?"

Mikaela nodded, her face set like flint. The poster had _her_ seeing red, too, and _she_ wanted to punch out the little snot's dad for spreading such hateful propaganda. If the world knew Optimus like she did, it would be thanking him for everything he sacrificed to save it more than once!

"C'mon, El," she said, holding out her hand. When Elita took it, she went on, "Thank you, Mr. Mantovani. And by the way? The robot who saved you? His name is Optimus Prime."

Muziano's eyebrows went up. "Oh? How do you know?"

Mikaela smiled mysteriously and ushered Elita out into the main office. Steven, the blond boy holding an ice pack to his nose, delivered a brick-melting glare. Elita raised her fist and he shrank back like a kicked puppy.

Inwardly, it made Mikaela proud. Elita had her father's sense of justice and fighting spirit. All she needed was the street smarts for where and when to exert them.

The morning Elita's suspension ended, Mikaela sat in the parking lot to watch for Steven. His dad, a typical phone-addicted yuppie hot shot wearing black aviator sunglasses, walked with his son into the office.

Mikaela got out of her truck and left the half-crumpled poster on his windshield. In big, black Sharpie, she'd written: _This is totally ignorant. Take your propaganda and shove it up your ass_.

She made sure Elita saw her place it. They exchanged winks.

Yuppie-dad picked up the paper upon his return, read it and crumpled it before getting in his fancy white Cadillac. He pulled up next to Mikaela in the driveway leading out. She smiled sweetly at him before driving off.

Elita had no further problems with Steven for the rest of the school year.

.o

Typical California June gloom set in, which made for misty nights and mornings.

Mikaela awoke after swearing she heard a boom. Not thunder, not a car backfiring. Deciding she dreamed it, she rolled over to reclaim sleep.

Her phone emitted the "new text" buzz. Before it finished, her ringtone- the first few bars of Berlin's "Take My Breath Away"- tore the silence apart. She didn't recognize the number flashing on the screen.

Sighing, she answered anyway, a string of insults loaded into her verbal arsenal.

"Hello? There better be a good reason for calling me at four-thirty in the morning..."

"Mikaela Banes?" said a man's voice she didn't recognize.

"Who is this?"

"My name's Cade Yeager. Sorry, I forgot the time difference- I'm across the world right now. Listen, I just texted you some GPS coordinates. A friend of mine told me to say something. I dunno what it means, but he said you'll know. 'Mikaela is love, Elita is beautiful.'"

Mikaela's heart nearly stopped beating. She sat up, blinking stupidly in the darkness to be certain she wasn't dreaming. "He said that?"

"Yeah. He said he'll be at the coordinates I texted you any time. He left around, ehhh, hour and a half ago."

Her mind raced like a tornado inside her skull. She pushed her fingers into her hair and grasped her scalp as if to slow the maelstrom. A million questions burned on her lips, yet she only found the wherewithal to say, "T-Thanks. Cade Yeager, you said? Thanks."

"You have a good day, ma'am," said Cade.

Mikaela politely concluded the call and scrambled off the bed. Like a nervous schoolgirl about to go out on her first date, she rummaged through the closet until she found her favorite red maxi dress. Since it was chilly and the dress had neither straps nor sleeves, she added the black leather bolero she splurged on two years ago. Spike heels wouldn't do hiking up the hill, so she threw on her strappy black wedge sandals. She could get away with them under a long dress.

_Makeup, makeup, gotta look kinda human, don't I?_ Mikaela almost spilled the contents of her makeup bag. Then she spied her reflection and laughed to herself- Optimus didn't _care_ about something so shallow.

Yawning, Mikaela opted for a natural look- light foundation, mascara and a hint of blush. Her hair remained loose and flowing, though a little hairspray controlled the frizz.

She almost woke Elita up. Probably better to wait. If this was a sick, sick prank, she didn't want Elita suffering along with her.

Thick fog blanketed everything. The sun hadn't risen yet. Mikaela stuck her phone in her bolero's left pocket and ventured out into the ghostly insubstantiality. Trees were sentinels guarding the gloom. Her flashlight beam shone against it like white hope. Fortunately, she knew her way around so well she instinctively avoided tree stumps and other toe-traps. She lifted her skirt to climb the steep, grassy hill leading into the clearing.

Soft noise stirred the silence. Mikaela swung her flashlight towards the muffled yet distinct knocking of a diesel engine. Twin light beams illuminated her face and the ever-moving cloudiness around her. She started to smell hot metal. Every pore in her body absorbed the sounds, scents and sights.

Suddenly the fog practically unfurled to reveal the beautiful Western Star truck. Different look, same flaming red and blue paint job. Steam joined the fog as its engine shut off, leaving the shiny chrome hood to thump and crackle while it cooled.

Multicolored beams shot out of the Autobot sigil above the truck's silver grill. It struck the ground near the bumper and spread outward. A green, three dimensional grid built itself from the ground upwards. Like loading an image with dialup internet, he appeared pixel by pixel until his six foot six inch hologram was complete.

Optimus' new look resembled the knight in shining armor Mikaela imagined him to be. Silver pieces of armor enclosed either side of his neck like an exotic, ornamental collar. Plating resembling gauntlets covered his forearms. His face plates were distributed differently, too, and a metal strip filled the groove in his diamond-shaped nose. Only his optics, clear, blue and glowing with undying devotion, stayed exactly the same.

Mikaela dropped her flashlight at her feet and clamped both hands over her mouth. Hot pain welled in her tightening throat. Her eyes stung and her chest tied knots around her stomach. She forgot how to breathe. All the blood vessels in her body vibrated with the hope that this wasn't a dream.

Optimus smiled- that hadn't changed either- and extended his left hand. Mikaela saw her name still engraved on his ring finger. That meant the engravings within his Spark chamber also remained untouched.

She shakily stretched out her right hand, bridging the distance between them. Their fingertips touched.

Real.

Solid.

Leaning forward, Optimus slid his fingers between hers, interlocking them and bringing their palms flush together. Mikaela let him pull her close. His free arm wrapped around her waist. Her unoccupied hand settled upon his shoulder. The new chest armor let her stand closer to him than before. She could hear the zap-zap of his Spark and realized her pounding heart almost matched its rhythm.

They began swaying. No music other than the raw, upwelling emotion keeping them bound like binary stars. Holding hands wasn't enough; they embraced, still moving, lost in each others' gazes. Faint diesel fumes filled the clearing. Her breath whispered with his hydraulics and servomechanisms. His porcelain-like armor warmed her fingertips. She regretted nearly forgetting how he _felt_. To make up for it, she let her hands wander everywhere, re-learning his body by touch.

Dawn broke, pushing aside the fog and making everything clearer. When Mikaela saw the sun gleam on Optimus' face, the tears escaped. He blinked and cupped the back of her head. Her knees tried to buckle. Finally, after four years of being strong, she crumbled. His armored arms held her together while sobs heaved her shoulders.

How many times did she hold him as _he_ cried?

"You're back," Mikaela choked and praised God for waterproof mascara. "You're back, you're back."

"You are so strong, Mikaela...so strong." Optimus touched his lip plates to her brow and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. He kept talking, his smoky baritone voice caressing her ears. "It's all right. I'm here. Let it all go."

His hands stroked her hair. She cried until her eyes hurt and her voice felt raw. Between sobs, she poured out everything she and Elita did during his four year absence. Every particle of her being needed to fill that empty space with the life he helped create.

"...she turned eight this April, she finished third grade four days ago...and she's grown a foot since you last saw her."

Hearing Optimus chuckle sent warmth coursing into Mikaela's veins. They spent a solid minute cheek to cheek in the silence, _experiencing_ each other.

"How about we surprise the hell out of our kid?" Mikaela suggested as the pain behind her sternum transformed into sugary giddiness.

"I had the same thought. I've already radioed Ultra Magnus to keep quiet."

Taking Mikaela's hand again, Optimus walked her around to his driver's side, bowed like a wonderful gentleman and the door swung open for her. He winked as his hologram disappeared, leaving her to climb in. His interior had a leathery "new" smell.

On the way back to the cabin, Optimus told Mikaela a little about what happened after they lost contact. He left bits and pieces out; she figured he'd tell the whole story once everyone was together.

It hurt her heart to hear how deeply humanity wounded him, but knowing his faith in her and Elita never wavered quickly smoothed it over.

"Tessa reminded me of you," he remarked. "She has a warrior's soul. And she was just about the age you were when we first met."

Mikaela smiled, caressing the steering wheel that moved all by itself. "I'm glad you weren't alone."

"I agree...and I say the same for you."

Optimus' air brakes pop-hissed outside the cabin. Mikaela crept straight inside and upstairs. He simply beamed his hologram right to her location.

Before opening the door, Mikaela listened for any signs that Elita had awakened. None- Elita slept like a log. Mikaela found her facing the doorway, her body curled into an almost perfect letter C under her checkered bedspread.

Optimus stood at the foot of Elita's bed, just looking at her with awe written on his face. Then, the same way he used to when she was younger, he reached out and lightly tapped her foot through the bed sheets. Elita pulled her knees towards her chest, mumbled and rolled onto her stomach.

Naturally, Optimus nabbed her heel between thumb and forefinger. "This foot is much larger than I remember."

The sheets went flying so suddenly Mikaela hardly saw her daughter move. Elita was abruptly standing on her pillow at the head of the bed, back against the wall, staring at Optimus.

They spent ages peering at each other. Elita's bright blue eyes grew saucer-sized. She wiped them like a cartoon character who couldn't believe what they saw. Her face went redder than a tomato. Then she burst out sobbing and flung herself into Optimus' arms. Anyone walking by outside would think someone died, judging by the way she carried on. Mikaela hadn't seen her cry that hard since she told her Optimus might not come home.

Wiper fluid droplets escaped the inner corners of Optimus eyelids. His facial features started to contort and his bottom lip plate actually shook. He cupped the back of Elita's head, keeping her close. Her arms maintained a death grip around his neck.

Father and daughter clung to each other, crying for all they were worth. Their tears were mingling.

Mikaela's heart took a picture. She pressed a hand to her mouth. The moment washed over her like ocean waves, blurring her eyes.

"My wish took four years!" Elita sniffled and buried her head under Optimus' chin. "Proxima Centauri. It's the star I wished on...astronomy books say it's four-point-something light years away. The wish worked! It worked, dad!"

"Yes, it did." Optimus brushed Elita's tears away and lovingly kissed her birthmark. "Your mother told me all about how you defended my honor at school. I appreciate your efforts, but let's try to keep violence as the last resort, all right?"

Elita sniffed again and kissed his nose. "Boys are stupid sometimes."

"Mm, yes, I know. They grow out of it, sweet-Spark. Don't worry."

Mikaela suppressed a rude snort. Most boys got better, some got _worse_ after puberty. She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud.

"Dad? Can we do something special?"

Optimus quirked an eye ridge. "Such as?"

Elita cupped her hand by her mouth and leaned close to his audio.

.o

Only one vehicle occupied the Maplewood Elementary School's parking lot: Muziano's gunmetal gray Ford F-150.

Mikaela and Elita hopped out of Optimus' red and blue alternate mode. The warm weather, coupled with the blacktop, made the air almost stifling. Elita hurried to stand in the shade near the girls' restroom while Mikaela removed her leather bolero. She nudged the front office door open.

Most of the lights were off. Muziano's door was ajar. She saw him sitting at his desk wearing his most unprofessional attire- a pink unicorn T-shirt, faded skinny jeans and gold sandals. A glittery pink fedora was perched smartly on his head.

Seeing him wear anything other than pristine business suits seemed strange, but it told Mikaela exactly what she suspected all along. This man was gayer than the apparel in "Deck the Halls" and his complete lack of shame about it made her like him more.

"Muziano?" Mikaela called out.

"Augh!" Muziano nearly fell off his chair. "I'm not watching porn!" He looked over and laughed, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "Mikaela! Scared me to death, you ninja. What's up?"

"I, uh..." Mikaela ducked her head, smiling, "Can you come outside for a minute?"

He twirled his pencil between his fingers and set it down. Switching the computer off, he got up. "Sure."

Mikaela explained nothing. She simply led Muziano out to the parking lot where Optimus' truck mode gleamed in the late morning sun. He whistled and immediately circled the truck, admiring it.

"Wow, Mikaela, this is seriously rad!"

The instant Muziano stopped in front of the grill again, Optimus transformed. Muziano jumped nearly six feet straight back as the vehicle before him became a twenty-eight foot tall robot.

Elita clapped her approval.

Muziano yanked his fedora off and buried his face in it. Muffled, he shouted, "Holy shit, it's Optimus freakin' Prime!" He pushed the hat back atop his head and fanned himself with his hands. "Hi. I-I'm Muziano Mantovani. You look different than the last time I saw- you know what? I like it!"

Optimus knelt down, bringing his face eye level with the shocked school principal. He smiled, his expression nothing but friendly. "Hello, Muziano. I heard a great deal about you. And, yes, I do remember our first meeting. I apologize for my abruptness."

"Whoa, you've got nothing to be sorry for. You were busy saving the world." Muziano finally stopped shaking enough to steady his voice. His Adam's apple bobbed and he cleared his throat. After a moment's hesitation, he held up his hand. "Um, I know this is really late and all, but thanks- on behalf of the human race."

Blinking, Optimus offered Muziano his index finger. They 'shook hands.'

"You're welcome," he smiled again, "You are one of a few reasons I still have faith in humanity."

Muziano flashed his infectious grin. "Glad to hear it. So, where are you from? It obviously ain't Japan."

Optimus chuckled and shook his head. "My people come from planet Cybertron, which is on the other side of the galactic hub. I fear it may not exist anymore, however that is too long a story for right now. But..." He leveled his optics with Muziano's eyes, "...there is one more secret I believe you should know."

"Yeah!" Elita sprinted from her shady spot and hopped into Optimus' hand. "This is my real dad, Mr. Moosey. Don't believe it? My birthmark means 'Prime.' Dad has one, too."

Optimus quietly pointed to his own Prime marking.

Muziano looked between Elita and Optimus, and finally at Mikaela. If his eyes got any larger, they would fall clean out of his skull!

"Wowsers. I'm living in a piece of internet fan fiction, aren't I?"

"Nope," Elita said proudly, "This is for real!"

Muziano fiddled with the back of his fedora. "Mikaela, are you hiding a USB port where the sun doesn't shine?"

The unexpected question sent Mikaela into a coughing fit, followed by laughter.

"Something like that." Optimus winked. "Mikaela, Elita, we should head back to the cabin. The temperature out here is reaching a degree most humans find uncomfortable."

Elita wiped her forehead. Sweat was beading on Muziano's face. Mikaela brushed a droplet off her temple.

"I need to get back to work. You know how the Board of Education is about the end of the year." Muziano offered Optimus a stiff salute. "Very nice meeting you, Optimus Prime. Good luck out there."

Optimus straightened, his hand holding Elita steady. "I wish you luck as well, Muziano. Live long and prosper."

"A robot _and_ a nerd. Great combo." Muziano tipped his fedora by taking it off, twirling it on its side on his palm and replacing it atop his head. "_Q'apla!_"

With one last nod, he turned right around to go inside. Mikaela heard him squeal like a woman at a Michael Jackson concert and knew, deep down, that this experience made his life awesome.

Optimus stood just tall enough for his head to blot out the sun. Elita was a silhouette standing fearlessly on his shoulder. They looked at each other and beamed.

"Mission accomplished," said Elita. "Thanks, dad."

"Anything for my little girl," Optimus replied, his expression soft. He beckoned her into his hand before setting her down and transforming back into vehicle mode. Both doors popped open by themselves. Cool air wafted into the oppressive heat. The best advantage of a robot in disguise in summertime- no waiting for the air conditioner to get cold.

"Optimus, that was awesome." Mikaela made herself comfortable in the driver's side seat. It gently adjusted to fit her body's contours. She smiled at Elita as Optimus pulled towards the exit driveway.

.o

Stifling summer heat left Mikaela praising the cabin's excellent air conditioner. Though it peaked at ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit outside, the cabin hovered near a comfortable seventy-four. The heat hung around until dinnertime before the thermometer mercury started going down again.

"...I fled east as the attack progressed. My transponder was damaged, leaving me unable to signal for help. I took cover in an old, abandoned movie theater and slipped into emergency stasis..."

Optimus explained everything that happened to him between being attacked, waking up in Cade Yaeger's shed and everything that followed.

He talked while Elita and Mikaela ate the spaghetti he so kindly cooked for dinner. Mikaela delighted that he hadn't lost his cooking skills, but quickly saddened upon hearing how people used the dead bodies of both Decepticons and his friends for something so barbaric.

"...and once Joshua realized his error, he aided us in protecting the Seed. In the end, I killed Attinger and Lockdown, and as promised I released the Dinobots. I said goodbye to my new friends and took my leave." Optimus spread his hands, "And here I am."

His gaze traversed the artwork Elita created over the years. Her drawing talent surprised Mikaela, because, with absolutely no training at all, Elita wielded pencils, crayons and markers like someone who took classes for years. During her glyph seizures, she often sketched the same octopus-like creature she first doodled at age four.

Optimus peered curiously at the pictures. Some were colored, some weren't.

Elita pushed the papers to the middle of the table. "So what's the stuff they used? You didn't tell us that."

"Joshua named it Transformium, but in actuality it is protomatter."

"And it transforms," Mikaela said.

"Yes. By itself it possesses properties akin to human stem cells. It has the ability to become what it is programmed to become. The hollow parts of my inner framework contain protomatter in powder form- very similar to how your bones are filled with marrow. It can be extracted and used to create any component my body might need if I am damaged severely enough. However..." He paused and his face fell, "...only highly trained medics like Ratchet knew how to safely accomplish this."

Mikaela laid her hand atop his, which rested on the kitchen table. "I'm sorry about Ratchet. I'm sorry people are idiots."

"Me, too," Elita added.

"Thank you," said Optimus. "Before I continue- Elita, will you kindly retrieve the metal box in my glove compartment?"

"Sure!"

Elita wiped her mouth and her sneakers squeaked across the floor. The door banged. A minute later, she returned carrying a metal tackle box. Optimus opened it, pulling apart the compartments and explaining their contents. Then he folded his hands together on the table and gravely regarded them.

"Now that you know all of this, you are aware of why I can't stay." He glanced from Elita to Mikaela. The inner edges of his eye ridges tilted upwards, mimicking a knit brow. "The Creators are hunting for me, and they will not cease until they find me. That places this planet, and both of you, in serious danger."

Mikaela swallowed hard. She didn't let herself cry because that would be selfish. Elita had no such filter. A huge sob escaped her and she rushed around the table to sit in Optimus' lap. She clung to him like her life depended on it.

"No! You just got here!"

"Oh, Elita..." Optimus touched his mouth against her cheek. "I would stay if there was any other way. Your safety is even more important now due to the rift between Cybertronians and humanity."

"It's not fair! Send somebody else!" she sniffled.

"Sweet-Spark, I can't. The Creators want _me_," he said calmly, stroking her hair. "And I fear they will destroy everything in their path until they locate me. Also, the Seed is a dangerous tool. One that cannot fall into Galvatron's hands. It's much safer if I take it with me on my quest to find the Creators."

Mikaela quietly took their dishes and washed them. She could hear Elita and Optimus talking among themselves. He managed to soothe her into speaking rationally again.

"The Cube didn't know how it was made." Elita rubbed her birthmark. "You said the Seed cyber-forms planets. The Cube brought anything metal to life. What if the Creators know who made the Cube? What if _they_ made it to make _you?_ Did they know _I_ was gonna be born someday?"

"Those are all excellent questions," he replied, "and I intend to ask them all."

"Are you scared?"

"Yes, but you know what?" Optimus prompted her to look at him, "True courage is not a lack of fear. It is being afraid and continuing onward anyway. And you, sweet-Spark, are very brave. I'm proud of you."

Elita laid her head on Optimus' shoulder again. Mikaela had to wash her face to cover up the tears welling in her eyes. Nothing about this situation was easy. She always knew it might come to this, but she had no regrets. A few years with Optimus was better than a lifetime with someone she didn't love.

And much too soon, the family stood together atop the hill marking the forest clearing. Most of the day's heat was gone. The sun hung low on the western horizon, casting everything in a cherry red glow. Long tree shadows cut zebra-stripe swaths along the ground. The grass under Mikaela's bare feet felt soft and cool.

Nothing compared to feeling Optimus' embrace. She melted into it, wishing he didn't have to go- she hated the idea of something happening to him in the silent darkness of deep space.

"Elita's bravery didn't come entirely from me, you know." Optimus let his forehead rest against hers. Such closeness turned his glowing blue optics into a blurry blob. He caressed her cheek with his cool metal hand. "You are a fantastic mother, Mikaela."

Mikaela really liked the new armor framing his neck. It fit the contours of her arms perfectly. She pulled herself as close to him as she could. The rapidly setting sun shone between their faces until she bridged the distance and kissed him on the mouth.

Normally, Optimus responded by standing still. His lip plates weren't flexible enough for making out, but she stopped noticing that difference years ago.

This time, he closed his eyes and cupped the back of her head. Nothing mattered beyond the simple closeness. They stayed that way for an all-too-short eternity.

"Everything will be fine. I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too," she murmured back. The hot lump in her throat made it hard to speak, but she kept herself together for his sake. "Take care of yourself out there."

Their eyes met again. He nodded, brushing a rebellious tear off her cheek.

"And you..." Optimus scooped Elita up by her armpits and held her high over his head, chuckling. "Remember what I told you about bravery."

Elita nodded, wiping at her eyes. Optimus drew her close and rubbed her back.

"Can you write our names on the moon?" she asked him.

"I certainly will. I'll tell you what- I'll do it in the middle of Tycho. Do you remember which crater that is?"

"It's the big one inside a starburst pattern on the bottom side."

He smiled affectionately and brushed his mouth plates against her birthmark. "That's my girl."

They shared another long, tight embrace before stepping back from each other. By then, the last of the sunlight was gone. Stars gradually appeared in the darkening sky like sugar sprinkled on velvet.

Optimus' hologram nodded once and faded. The huge Western Star truck clanked and transformed. Something resembling an alien missile- the Seed -popped up as though ejected by an air cannon. He caught it with his left hand and used his foot to clear away the brush around him. Against the sky, he was a moving, glistening silhouette.

"Elita, can I have a countdown?"

"Sure!" Elita took Mikaela's hand and counted down from ten.

At five, the boosters on Optimus' legs ignited with a dull rumble. At three, he bent his knees. At one, he left the ground like a space shuttle. The roar of liftoff silenced every single cricket chirping in the clearing.

Mikaela smoothed Elita's messy hair. She watched Optimus circle while his engines powered up to escape velocity. As he passed overhead, he brought his arms to his sides, glanced towards the eastern horizon and finally smiled down at Mikaela and Elita.

"You're a superhero!" Elita shouted at him.

Optimus gave a quick thumbs up. With a final wink, he shot skyward and was gone.

.o

Life attained a new normal twenty-four hours after Optimus' departure.

Mikaela pulled her filmy black nightgown on after a long, luxurious shower. The air conditioner at Joe's broke right at the hottest part of the triple-digit day, and she swore she lost half her body weight through perspiration. Washing the gross sweat off her skin and hair felt sinfully amazing.

Her phone emitted its new text beep. She grabbed it. What she saw made her smile.

Somehow, Optimus took a selfie on the moon. Over his right shoulder, the full Earth rose like a glistening blue marble full of white filaments. Only the smallest hints of brown peeked out behind the white. A second photo arrived seconds later- their family sigil scratched into the pale gray moon dust at his feet.

"Mom! He did it! Dad did it!" Elita burst into the bedroom, waving her iPad.

"I knew he would," said Mikaela. She grinned, giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Ready for your bath?"

"Uh-huh. Let me put my iPad away."

Mikaela started filling the bathtub while Elita raced back out. She got Elita settled in the tub before she checked her phone again. One last picture: Optimus' hands with both sets of fingers curled and thumbs extended to form a heart shape surrounding the Earth.

Elita must have taught him that.

Tears welled in Mikaela's eyes. She let her mind wander to Optimus' explanation of the tackle box.

._"I took a lump of protomatter with me when I left KSI headquarters. I have already programmed and shaped it, and it is formatted to stay in the forms I gave it. Not formatting it was KSI's grave mistake, and their mistake allowed Megatron to resurrect himself as Galvatron."_.

Early morning found Mikaela outside, giving Ultra Magnus a full wash and wax. She couldn't stand looking at the fine coat of dust and dirt collecting on his armor anymore. He showed his appreciation by playing country music.

Unlike Optimus, Ultra Magnus' pipes weren't ticklish. But his grill sure was! Mikaela tried to be quick about scrubbing it. He sent his spinners whirling like CPU fans to keep still.

Elita whizzed across the patio on her brightly colored skateboard. Fortunately for her, she had a helmet on. Banning the skateboard for a week was all it took to make the helmet worth it.

Mikaela refocused on the task at hand. She adjusted the nozzle on the hose to a wider spray and rinsed the suds off Ultra Magnus' fenders. "How's that?"

"Just fine," said Ultra Magnus. He lifted himself using his shock absorbers to aid the rinsing process.

"Awesome." Mikaela reached for the wax. "El, can you plug the buffer in?"

Elita's skateboard rasped along the patio and scraped to a halt. "Got it."

"Thanks, kiddo!"

Deciding to get the worst over first, Mikaela waxed Ultra Magnus' grill. Until then, she never realized a truck could shake that hard. The explosive laughter was worth it. Mikaela lost it once he started. Ultra Magnus' laugh reminded her of Pee-Wee Herman.

._"Due to the threat Galvatron could pose in the future, I have appointed Ultra Magnus as your permanent guardian. Should the Decepticons become a threat to you, he can easily call upon the remaining Autobots to aid in guarding your life. They have their orders- protect you and this planet at any cost."_.

At lunchtime, Mikaela opened the tackle box and extracted the items inside. She placed the small silver sculpture of a Chinese dragon atop the living room mantle. A white unicorn magnet found its home against the refrigerator door. She stuck the pink butterfly money clip on the passenger side's sun visor in her Silverado. Four palm-sized stained glass sun catchers shaped like diamonds were set up on all four sides of the cabin. The spiraling wall hanging was hung above her bed. Finally, Ultra Magnus helped her set a tiny diamond in the ring Optimus gave her on their first Christmas together.

Then Mikaela assisted Elita with placing her knick-knacks. The four inch tall gold pyramid coin bank looked great beside the dancing teddy bear lamp on the dresser. Elita had her ears pierced a second time last summer, so she put the clear heart-shaped studs in place of the plain silver ones and vowed to never remove them. She hung the last item- a twine and metal dream catcher- on the wall in the game loft.

Last, but not least, the tackle box itself gained a new home next to the broken mechanical bull in the basement.

When Mikaela got back upstairs, she found Optimus' hologram making grilled cheese sandwiches in the kitchen. Right then, it seemed as though he'd never been away at all.

._"As for the protomatter, I used it to create holographic emitters disguised as everyday objects. I plan to activate them once I'm well beyond Earth's moon. Using space bridge technology on a very small scale will enable me to 'beam' my hologram anywhere you place an emitter, and I'll be able to respond in real time despite the vastness separating us."_.

Time went by. Summer ended. Optimus, in his human hologram, was with Mikaela in the car when they dropped Elita off for her first day of fourth grade. Now she had a dad to help her do homework after school, and Mikaela took comfort in knowing her daughter would never come home to an empty house again.

During the weekends, Elita was bound and determined to teach Optimus the fine art of skateboarding. He fell a lot at first, but he picked himself right back up and kept trying until he mastered it.

Mikaela didn't know whether to laugh or slap him the day he rolled past the kitchen window while doing a handstand.

._"I do not know if or when I will see Earth again, so I hope this bridges the distance."_.

Evenings gave Mikaela and Optimus time to themselves. Sometimes, they talked. Sometimes, they huddled together on the couch without saying a word. Often, they danced.

Optimus loved looking up Youtube dance tutorials. He started teaching Mikaela everything he learned. It wasn't long before they tore up the living room floor with tangos, swing, fox trots and waltzes.

When the weather permitted, they journeyed into the forest clearing and made love under a canopy of stars. Mikaela rediscovered Optimus' body. All his old erogenous zones were still there, but she found a new one when trying to tickle his shoulder piping sent him into overload instead.

._"As wonderful as this technology is, I wish to extend a word of caution. Something may happen to me while I am in space. I may travel beyond our vast signal range and lose the ability to manifest my hologram."_.

Things weren't always smooth. Anytime a conflict happened in the household, they tried to repair and resolve it.

"Dad, I'm sorry." Elita fidgeted next to the end table near the couch. At her feet, the decorative race car snow globe she broke by losing control of her basketball. She wasn't supposed to play with it indoors. Mikaela stood over her, arms crossed, pissed. That snow globe was a Mother's day present from Optimus.

"I know it was an accident. You are forgiven." Optimus shot her a stern look and scooped up the broken pieces. "However, the replacement funds will be coming out of your allowance, and I'm confiscating your basketball for seven days."

She reluctantly handed the ball over and he took it outside where it belonged.

Another day, when Elita was at school, Mikaela opened the fridge to look for the previous night's lasagna leftovers. They weren't there.

"Argh! Where's my lasagna?"

Optimus glanced up from the _Reader's Digest_ he was reading. "I placed it in Elita's lunch. Isn't that what you were saving it for?"

"I was going to eat it myself. The egg salad sandwich on the top shelf was for her."

"Oops," he flinched because he knew full well how she hated people touching _her_ food. "I'm sorry. Please make my execution quick."

Normally, Mikaela stomped around like Godzilla whenever she found leftovers missing. She sighed, staring at the empty space. Getting mad about lunch seemed so petty now. Since lasagna was out, she grabbed the egg salad sandwich instead and put ketchup on it.

"Nah, execution's too messy," she muttered. "I should've told you. Sorry."

Optimus chuckled, setting the magazine down. He slipped behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her ear. "It's fine. Let's call it even."

No one under the cabin roof stayed angry long.

Mornings, nights and all departures, however temporary, were met with the same exchanged words.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I love you, sweet-Spark."

"I love you, too, dad."

._"In light of that small, but real possibility, we should live as if it is the last time we'll see each other. Take nothing for granted, because what we have now may be gone tomorrow."_.

At five-thirty in the morning on Christmas day, Mikaela signaled to Optimus at the foot of the stairs. A red Santa hat was perched on his head, held in place by his left ear finial. Mikaela crept towards Elita's bedroom door. She could hear the rustling of a slept-in bed being restored to proper order. Her daughter was definitely awake.

Snow fell softly outside, blanketing everything in wispy white. The Christmas tree full of red baubles, silver icicle tinsel and multicolored lights decorated the far corner. Beneath it, a pile of gifts wrapped in blue paper with white bows. "Santa" brought those. Everything else was ensconced inside typical Christmas designs.

Mikaela sneaked back into her own bedroom, got in bed and pretended to sleep. Waiting to see her little girl's reaction to Christmas left her heart quaking. She heard Elita tip-toe in and seat herself on the corner of the bed.

"Mm, what day is it?" Mikaela pretended to wake up.

"It's Christmas!" Elita bounced eagerly. She was wearing her red snowflake nightgown and green socks.

"Is it?" Mikaela yawned, "Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Did Santa come?"

"_Yeah!_" Elita bounced again.

"Oh, my. I better get up!"

Mikaela threw a white robe over her green plaid pajamas and stepped into her ridiculous reindeer slippers. A gift from Lennox. They were a Christmas staple.

"Dad!" Elita bolted for the door, yelling down the stairs, "Did you see Santa?"

"I sure did!" Optimus replied as Mikaela emerged from the bedroom. "I assisted him with the gift arrangement."

"Awesome!"

The three of them piled together in the living room. Optimus and Mikaela sat on the couch and Elita plopped on the floor to dump out her stocking. She got pencils, silver hoop earrings, an orange, chocolate coins and Hershey Kisses in a candy cane-shaped tube.

Elita started digging through the presents next. Somehow, she and Optimus ended up giving each other brand new skateboards. Hers had red wheels, his had blue. They looked at each other, looked at their skateboards, looked at each other again and burst out laughing.

Mikaela opened a new race car snow globe from Optimus and Elita. "Wow, you found a new one! Thanks!" She shook it to make the snow fly around the Indy 500 car inside and set it on the mantle next to the silver dragon sculpture.

Her present to Optimus was a huge, midnight blue fleece blanket. He lifted it and looked curiously at the snowflake embroidery around its outer edge.

"It's cold in space...I thought this might help," she said in response to his curious expression.

"This is wonderful." He touched it gently, admiring the fabric. "Thank you, Mikaela."

A plain white gift bag stood forgotten behind the tree. Mikaela grabbed the outlier present, jiggled it and reached inside. Nothing but a note.

**I fixed the mechanical bull in the basement. Happy Christmas. -U. M.**

Giggling, Mikaela decided to keep that knowledge secret for now. She emailed Ultra Magnus his gift- a promo code for several free iTunes downloads since he was adamant about never downloading anything illegally. Now he had access to all sorts of country music.

Then she walked her fingertips along the couch until she found Optimus' hand. Their gazes met. They smiled.

Elita finished opening her presents. She became the proud owner of a purple goose down coat, a small tool box containing real tools, a repair kit for her skateboard, several new pairs of socks, a _Castles of the World_ calendar and _Godzilla 2000_ on DVD.

After a filling breakfast of Optimus' pancakes, they ventured outside to enjoy the snow. Ultra Magnus, who had been on patrol, almost buried Elita in a snow pile by accident.

Thus began the epic Christmas day snowball fight. Nobody escaped unscathed.

Mikaela finally told Optimus about the mechanical bull. He practically sprinted inside and down into the basement. Elita followed due to her nosy nature. Seeing Optimus be a total dork on the mechanical bull- complete with the black cowboy hat -left her laughing so hard she cried. Mikaela caught everything on video via her phone. She ended up with shaky footage due to her constant snickering.

This was definitely a merry Christmas.

Dinner consisted of honey baked ham, cheesy scalloped potatoes and mixed vegetables. Every morsel cooked to perfection by Optimus' hand.

Elita wanted to watch _Godzilla 2000_ on the big screen TV in the living room. Everyone secured a spot on the couch and they watched as a family. Somehow, she nodded off between the movie's end credits and Mikaela cleaning up the wrapping paper warzone.

Optimus scooped Elita up like a feather. She wrapped her arms around his neck to stay close. Mikaela had a sudden flashback of him holding her for the first time. The gentle way he looked at their impossible miracle of a daughter hadn't changed since the moment he set optics on her.

"Merry Christmas, daddy, love you," Elita mumbled sleepily.

"Merry Christmas, Elita. I love you, too." He carried her slowly upstairs. "Let's get you to bed, sweet-Spark."

Later still, Optimus and Mikaela snuggled together on the couch, both wrapped in the new fleece blanket. The lights were all off- save for the fireplace and Christmas tree. Outside, bright stars lit the heavens like ice diamonds.

People always said winter air made stars shine brighter. In actuality, between December and February, the Earth's northern hemisphere tilted towards the galactic arm the Sun belonged to and away from the Milky Way's central hub. Luminous neighborhood stars and less background galactic dust meant a clearer night sky.

Mikaela learned that in astronomy class. Ever since then, she loved stargazing on winter nights.

Now, she had even more of a reason to do so.

"Y'know, every once in awhile, I kinda wonder what the monkeys who came before me thought of the stars," she mused.

"Hm..." Optimus simulated a sigh. "I almost lost faith in humanity."

"But you found it again," Mikaela replied quickly.

"Yes. I think meeting Muziano again helped in that regard." He chuckled, resting his right ankle across his left knee. "Sometimes, hearing one person say thank you while thousands more don't makes everything worth it. But, to be frankly honest...if I did not have you and Elita, I would have abandoned this planet to its fate. Betrayal _hurts_."

He was bouncing his leg a little- a sign the conversation made him uncomfortable. This wasn't something he wanted to discuss in depth right now. Mikaela noticed his body language and immediately changed the subject.

"Is it really cold out there in space?"

"Mmhmm," said Optimus, his optics tilted in thought. Then, almost to himself, he smiled. "It's freezing and lonely out there...but I am not alone, and _that_ keeps me warm."

He looked at her, face plates glistening in the firelight. His optics held nothing but undying love. They reminded her of the Earth itself.

Their fingers interlocked under the blanket. Feeling his strong, stainless steel hand on her skin sent her pulse racing. He pressed his mouth tight in thought, then suddenly leaned forward and initiated a kiss. Cybertronians didn't quite kiss like humans, so his attempts to mimic the human way were always cutely awkward.

But _this_ time, the fleece blanket managed to build up a little static. A snap sounded when their mouths touched. They jumped apart, wide-eyed- and laughed.

Exhausted from laughter, Mikaela scooted over to straddle Optimus' lap. The touch of his hand became the safety of his arms, and they happily shared each other's body heat under the soft blue blanket.

._"And if the dark day comes that we are separated again, please remember one thing: I love you. I love you with all of my being, and my Spark will always be a star watching over you."_.

Mikaela laid her head on Optimus's shoulder and closed her eyes. She pictured him drifting through starry blackness, his armor glistening in the increasingly distant sun and his unwavering gaze fixed on the great unknown.

Somehow, in her heart, she knew his real face was smiling.

.o

.o

.o

"_And hold on  
before it's too late.  
Until we leave this behind,  
don't fall- just be who you are!  
It's all that we need in our lives.  
It's all that we need in our lives.  
It's all that I need in my life._"

-the Goo Goo Dolls, "Before It's Too Late"

.o

.o

.o

**-END-**


End file.
